Clip of the Month: Mona Eltahawy: A Muslim and a Feminist or Islamic Feminism?

Summary

The speaker explores the complex relationship between feminism and Islam, reflecting on their own journey from identifying as a 'Muslim feminist' to recognizing Islam and feminism as separate but coexisting aspects of their identity. They introduce the global movement MISAWA, which advocates for equality and justice within the Muslim community. Highlighting the work of Amina Wadud, an Islamic feminist scholar, the speaker discusses the possibility of reconciling Islam with feminism through reinterpretation of religious texts. The narrative also touches on the diverse perspectives within the Muslim feminist community, emphasizing the need for inclusive approaches to social and sexual revolution.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The speaker used to identify as a 'Muslim feminist' but now prefers to separate the two identities, considering themselves a Muslim and a feminist.
• 🌍 The speaker is part of a global movement called 'Misawa', which stands for equality in the Muslim family and was launched in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2009.
• 👩‍🏫 Amina Wadud, an African-American scholar of Islam and a personal hero of the speaker, identifies as an Islamic feminist and believes in the compatibility of Islam and feminism.
• 📚 Amina Wadud's approach involves reinterpreting religious texts to align with feminist values, having studied at Al-Azhar, a prestigious Islamic institution.
• 🙏 The speaker participated in a mixed-gender Friday prayer led by Amina Wadud in New York, which was a significant event for both Muslims and feminists.
• 📖 The speaker acknowledges the importance of religious justification for those who need to reconcile their faith with their feminist beliefs.
• 💪 There is a recognition of the diversity within the Muslim feminist community, with some preferring a secular approach and others seeking an Islamic feminist interpretation.
• 🌟 The speaker highlights the need to accommodate both secular and religiously grounded feminism within the movement for a successful social and sexual revolution.
• 🌈 The speaker shares stories of two inspiring Muslim women from Egypt and the UK, illustrating the different paths to feminism within the Muslim community.
• 🔄 The complexity of being a Muslim and a feminist is emphasized, suggesting that it's not a one-size-fits-all identity but rather a personal journey with various valid approaches.

Q & A

What is the relationship between feminism and Islam according to the speaker?

The speaker discusses the complexity of being both a feminist and a Muslim, noting that they identify as a Muslim and a feminist but keep these aspects separate. They mention that it's possible to reconcile the two, but it requires a nuanced understanding and approach.

What is the Misawa movement?

Misawa is a global movement for equality, justice, and the Muslim family, launched in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2009. It brings together scholars of Islam, activists, and writers who share its goals.

Who is Amina Wadud and what is her significance in the context of the discussion?

Amina Wadud is an African-American scholar of Islam and a personal hero of the speaker. She identifies as an Islamic feminist and has reinterpreted religious texts to support feminist values within the framework of Islam.

What was the significance of the mixed-gender Friday prayer led by Amina Wadud in 2005?

The mixed-gender Friday prayer led by Amina Wadud in 2005 was significant because it was the first of its kind, allowing men and women to pray side-by-side, challenging traditional gender roles within religious practices.

Why does the speaker no longer identify as a 'Muslim feminist'?

The speaker no longer identifies as a 'Muslim feminist' because they want to avoid engaging in a 'verse versus your verse' debate and prefer to focus on a secular form of feminism that is separate from their religious beliefs.

What does the speaker mean by 'complicating the answer'?

The speaker wants to provide a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between Islam and feminism, acknowledging that there are different interpretations and approaches, such as secular feminism and Islamic feminism.

What is the speaker's view on the need for religious justification in the context of feminism and Islam?

The speaker believes that for some people, religious justification is necessary to reconcile their Islamic beliefs with their feminist values, and that scholars like Amina Wadud play a crucial role in providing such interpretations.

Why is it important to have both secular and Islamic feminists within the Misawa movement?

Having both secular and Islamic feminists within the Misawa movement is important because it acknowledges the diverse ways in which individuals can interpret and practice their faith and feminism, and it helps to broaden the movement's appeal and effectiveness.

What is the speaker's stance on the compatibility of Islam and feminism?

The speaker believes that Islam and feminism can be compatible, but it requires a complex and nuanced approach that respects the different ways individuals may choose to interpret and practice their faith.

What is the role of reinterpretation in reconciling Islam and feminism according to the speaker?

Reinterpretation plays a significant role in reconciling Islam and feminism, as it allows for a fresh perspective on religious texts that can align with contemporary feminist values.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Muslim Feminism: A Personal Journey

The speaker begins by addressing the question of whether it's possible to be a feminist and practice Islam. They share their personal journey, having once identified as a Muslim feminist but now seeing their Islam and feminism as separate but coexisting aspects of their identity. They introduce the global movement for equality and justice called Misawa, which unites scholars, activists, and writers who support its goals. The speaker highlights the influence of Amina Wadud, an African-American Islamic scholar who identifies as an Islamic feminist, and her reinterpretation of Islamic teachings to support gender equality. The speaker also recounts a historical moment led by Wadud, where a mixed-gender Friday prayer was held in New York City, challenging traditional norms. The speaker appreciates the complexity of the question and the need for different approaches to feminism within the Muslim community, acknowledging both secular and Islamic feminism as valid paths.

Keywords

💡Feminism

Feminism is a social, political, and cultural movement that seeks to establish and achieve equal rights, opportunities, and treatment for women. In the context of the video, the speaker grapples with the intersection of feminism and Islam, reflecting on how one can be both a feminist and a Muslim. The video discusses the complexity of reconciling feminist principles with religious beliefs, as well as the existence of Muslim feminists who reinterpret religious texts to align with feminist values.

💡Islam

Islam is one of the world's major religions, with followers known as Muslims. The video explores the relationship between Islam and feminism, highlighting the diversity of interpretations and practices within the Muslim community. The speaker discusses their own journey from identifying as a 'Muslim feminist' to recognizing Islam and feminism as separate but coexisting aspects of their identity.

💡Misawa

Misawa is a global movement for equality, justice, and the Muslim family, launched in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2009. The movement brings together scholars, activists, and writers who share its goals, including the speaker of the video. Misawa represents an effort to promote a more inclusive and egalitarian interpretation of Islam, which is central to the speaker's discussion of the compatibility of Islam and feminism.

💡Amina Wadud

Amina Wadud is an African-American scholar of Islam mentioned in the video as a personal hero and mentor to the speaker. She is known for her work as an Islamic feminist and for leading the first mixed-gender Friday prayer in New York in 2005. Wadud's reinterpretation of Islamic texts to support gender equality is a key example in the video of how some Muslims reconcile their faith with feminist principles.

💡Islamic Feminism

Islamic feminism is a term used to describe the approach of reinterpreting Islamic teachings to promote gender equality and women's rights within the framework of Islam. The video features Amina Wadud as an example of an Islamic feminist who believes in the compatibility of Islam and feminism, arguing that certain religious texts can be read in a way that supports feminist values.

💡Secular Feminism

Secular feminism refers to a form of feminism that is not tied to any specific religion or spiritual belief system. The speaker in the video distinguishes between secular feminism and Islamic feminism, indicating that their own feminism is more secular in nature, focusing on legal and social reforms rather than religious interpretations.

💡Mixed-Gender Prayer

The concept of a mixed-gender prayer is discussed in the video as a significant event where men and women prayed side-by-side, led by Amina Wadud. This event is highlighted as a powerful symbol of the potential for gender equality within religious practices, challenging traditional norms and demonstrating the compatibility of feminist principles with religious observance.

💡Progressive Muslim Union of North America

The Progressive Muslim Union of North America is mentioned as an organization that the speaker was a board member of and which co-sponsored the mixed-gender prayer event. This organization likely represents a more progressive and inclusive approach to Islam, which is in line with the themes of feminism and equality discussed in the video.

💡Religious Justification

Religious justification refers to the need for some individuals to have scriptural or doctrinal support for practices that deviate from traditional religious norms. In the video, the speaker mentions that some people required religious justification for participating in the mixed-gender prayer, indicating the importance of religious texts and interpretations in shaping religious practices and beliefs.

💡Social Sexual Revolution

The term 'social sexual revolution' is used in the video to describe the broader movement for gender equality and justice within society, including within religious contexts. The speaker emphasizes the need for both secular and religiously grounded feminist perspectives to contribute to this revolution, suggesting that change requires a multifaceted approach.

Highlights

The possibility of being a feminist while practicing Islam is a complex question.

The speaker used to identify as a Muslim feminist but now sees Islam and feminism as separate parts of her identity.

Misawa, a global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim family, was launched in 2009.

Misawa includes scholars, activists, and writers who support its goals of equality.

Amina Wudud, an African-American scholar of Islam, identifies as an Islamic feminist.

Amina Wudud led the first mixed-gender Friday prayer in New York City in 2005.

Islamic feminism involves reinterpreting religious texts to align with feminist values.

Amina Wudud's reinterpretation is based on her studies at al-Azhar, a prestigious Islamic institution.

The speaker's feminism is secular and focused on legal and social change.

The need for religious justification is important for some Muslims who want to reconcile their faith with feminism.

The speaker appreciates the work of Islamic feminists like Amina Wudud for providing religious arguments.

Different Muslim women have different approaches to reconciling Islam and feminism.

The speaker's roommate prioritizes her Islam over her feminism.

An Egyptian feminist prioritizes her feminism over her Islam.

The speaker argues for the necessity of accommodating both secular and Islamic feminism for social change.

The complexity of being a Muslim and a feminist is acknowledged, with the answer being both possible and nuanced.

Transcripts

is it possible to be a feminist and

actually practice Islam that is a good

question

that is going to require somewhat of a

complex answer I used to call myself a

Muslim feminist I no longer do and I

call myself a Muslim and a feminist and

my Islam and my feminism are in separate

parts of my being but I belong to a

movement called misawa which and mosa

was the Arabic word fake but equality

it's a movement a global movement for

equality injustice and the Muslim family

it was launched in Kuala Lumpur in

Malaysia in 2009 and that movement

brings together scholars of Islam

activists writers like myself and others

who identify with the goals of misawa

now among misawa's members is a woman

who is a personal hero of mine and a

mentor a african-american scholar of

Islam called amino a dude I mean or dude

identifies as an Islamic feminist so I'm

a Muslim and a feminist she says I'm an

Islamic feminist Amina in 2005 March of

2005 in the City New York where I used

to live at the time led us in the first

public friday prayer she was the mmm in

the first mixture and it was a mixed

gender Friday prayer it was men and

women praying side-by-side some of us I

think I was one of two women who didn't

wear a headscarf and I had my period so

I broke all kinds of laws but I but I

took part in this prayer as a Muslim and

as a feminist I mean it led us in this

prayer as a woman mm as an Islamic

feminist Amina believes you can be a

Muslim and a feminist because she

reinterprets the religion she has

studied at al-azhar which is where all

the clerics of the world of the Sunni

world go and study so where they can

then go and spread the message of Sunni

Islam Amina believes that you can be an

Islamic feminist the reason I don't call

myself a Muslim feminist but I do

believe you can be a Muslim in ephemeris

but I wanted to complicate the answer

for you for a bit is because I don't

want to engage in my verse verses your

verse I don't want to

now Amina produces the verses that are

feminist and that say things like the

Prophet was married to Khadijah the

prophets last sermon said you must treat

women well um if there was a time where

certain things just as in the Bible or

the Torah were acceptable now they're no

longer acceptable that kind of stuff so

it's a it's an

civ feminist reinterpretation of Islam

I'm fighting so many things I'm so glad

that there were women like Amina around

my feminism is much of a secular kind I

say to its 2015 it's against the law so

I need a law that helps you with this

but I also understand that there are

there were people before that Friday

prayer who contacted us because at the

time I was a board member of the

progressive Muslim Union of North

America and we were co-sponsors of this

prayer I went to this prayer no

questions asked but there were some

people who contacted us and said I need

the religious justification for why this

prayer is ok and if I want those people

along with me in this revolution is

social sexual revolution

I need more sour and I need women like

Amina or dude who can then give me the

verse and the saying of the Prophet and

the Sunnah of the Prophet that will then

allow those who need Islam to come

before their feminism to come to the

prayer and at the launch of Messiah

there were two young women that were

very that I found very inspiring at the

meeting my roommate was a British

Pakistani Muslim and she would say to me

often if it's a competition between my

Islam and my feminism my Islam will win

but there was an Egyptian feminists who

have gotten to know much more sense and

who recently launched what before the

Revolution launched an anti Street

sexual harassment movement called harass

map this young Egyptian woman said to me

in the contest between my Islam and my

feminism my feminism will win these are

two Muslim women one from Egypt one from

the UK or South Asian descent both on

with this conference both are the

members of misawa one of them wants a

secular Islam I mean a secular feminism

and one wants an Islamic feminism and we

have to be prepared to give both of them

what they want if we want this social

sexual revolution to succeed so that was

my long-winded answer of by way of which

I can say yes you can but it's

complicated

you

you